I am not an art critic, but I do play one on TV.

Thank you so much silvestrov for sharing your art work. When I first saw your landscape I thought oh I see a Munch influence but I looked at your earlier works and thought hmm, that's more like Dali and your later works have sort of a van Gogh feeling to it. I understand that artist explore new directions but it almost seems that your earlier work was influenced by a lack of Dopamine and your later work maybe a little to much Dopamine. Do you feel the same way about your work? Do you find that your earlier or later work is more sought after. I also saw that several wonderful pieces were destroyed, did you suffer a fire or flood or loss of some sort or was it a personal decision. I know this isn't really a health issue but it is a Parkinson's issue and it is fascinating. Do you have problems painting do to fine motor issues? I don't know if I have seen an artist so diverse before. Again thank you for letting into your world. Can't wait to here from the artist himself. I am understanding why you are so analytical.

[enjoysalud]

Where did U see Silvestrov's art work??????? Thanks!!

[silvestrov]

sirshakes,

I realize this is a strange way to answer your gracious post but

many years ago, when I was 19, and in college, I had a graphologist

analyze my handwriting and she said, 'whether you realize it nor not,

you have an analytical mind'. Graphology is not like astrology or

reading tea leaves.....it is the study of handwriting and what the

forms, styles and tendencies mean.

As for my artistic influences I have had many and in regards to painting

I would have to say Vassily Kandinsky, Vincent van Gogh, Nicolas de Staël

and Jean Paul Riopelle. For those unfamiliar with de Stael and Riopelle

here is a link to each:

de Staël - google.com/search?q=nicolas...

Riopelle - google.com/search?q=john+pa...

I originally earned a BSBA with an emphasis in Management at (then)

Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh and went back to school for art

at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and earned a MA and MFA.

Edinboro was known as a figurative art school and I studied traditional

techniques fully knowing I would some day abandon them and work in a

abstract format. Throughout the years the landscape has been a element

of continuity linking various styles together. The series of landscapes

I made while living in Atlanta Georgia was inspired by the book entitled,

The End of Nature, by William McKibben, a local earth recycling center and

a Ukrainian composer by the name of Valentin Silvestrov - sound familiar?

Silvestrov is a modernist romantic and is one of the major compositional

voices to come out of the former Soviet Union.

youtube.com/watch?v=bakdjEC...(Not working as expected?)

The landscape entitled '20th Century Romanticism' is in reference to the

'wind blown' tree stump from the romantic movement in the 19th century.

richardmelvin.com/galleries...

The romantics painted the blasted tree as a symbol of the birth and

death of nature.

hyperallergic.com/131541/th...

Rather than paint a wind blown/blasted stump, I painted a tree stump mechanically

cut off. Given the romantic interest in pantheism, painters like

Caspar David Friedrich stated, 'The divine is everywhere,

even in a grain of sand', I made a statement about the destruction of

nature by man, usually in the name of development. Ironically, the

place I choose imagery was a earth recycling center and it was later

paved over to make generic track housing.

The only real reference to Parkinson's disease refers to temporarily losing

my sense of smell. I equated losing my olfactory function with monochromatic

paintings. Without being able to smell, food tasted like nothing and everything

seemed to be devoid of color. I went out on walks and always went by a series

of trees and of the sudden they had no fragrence and it was an alien experience.

These 2 paintings have Parkinsonian-influenced color schemes:

richardmelvin.com/galleries...

My sculptures are different from my paintings and are more ironical and pop culture

influenced. While in Edinboro I made wax casts of Ken and Barbie dolls and

distorted their image with grotesque intent. In this day and age of facial

surgery, implants.....I decided to do the Ken and Barbie Mutilation Series and

made a series of deformed and disfigured figurines. I can see a bit of Francis

Bacon influence in some of them:

google.com/search?q=francis...

On the website I have some acting clips and I prefer to act in silent or comedy

films, 2 related genre. I found acting much less satisfying because

there are too many people involved and it becomes painful.

When you paint you are the writer, director, editer, actor....etc. With

performing arts it is like being on a sporting time and I guess I am a prima dona

who likes to create alone. Too many people....to much involvement with their

lives and god it is a mess.

Well I am fading. I had a long, tiring day at work and am about to go to bed.

If you have any questions, etc... send them this way.

Rich

[Hidden]

I thank you again and I forget that I should have asked you first but I hope that I wasn't to forward in sharing your art with others. I have started to enjoy art the more I deal with Parkinson's. I am on very low dose of CD/LD and I seem to deal with the mental more than physical aspects. I never fully appreciate Starry Night until my dopamine was increased. I had to quit driving because I would get transfixed on lights, especially police lights. I would sit outside and just stare at the moon. Since so many Greats suffered with mental illness I was wondering if you entered that realm and if it had an impact on your art. I have fought the shadows at night, (that is actually stalking and fighting them while sleepwalking) , and had hallucinations during the day. I was wondering if Parkinson's has played a roll in your art.

[silvestrov in reply to Hidden]

I would like to think I am a great artist suffering from mental illness but I have been making art since i was the age of 2. I started drawing at a very young age and my art reflects the general currents in my life and has greatly varied through the years. In addition to making art, I built (and launched) rockets, models, had a chemistry kit, I was into geology and collected rocks, also stamps, coins, music, am a history buff....so I veered away from making art and returned to it as an adult. It was a long path but a more interesting one because of the circuitous journey.

I never really had 'extrapyramidal' responses to levodopa:

"Ataxia, extrapyramidal disorder, falling, anxiety, gait abnormalities, nervousness, decreased mental acuity, memory impairment, disorientation, euphoria, blepharospasm (which may be taken as an early sign of excess dosage; consideration of dosage reduction may be made at this time), trismus, increased tremor, numbness."

rxlist.com/sinemet-side-eff...

Visual Hallucinations in Parkinson's Disease

cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclop...

Artistic inspiration is difficult to pin down to one specific cause (or effect) and while I am sure PD changes (which for me are less physical because of supplements like Coq10), may have influenced my art , I really cannot pin down specific instances related to PD and art making. My mother is an internationally known calligrapher, my brother is a sports photographer, my sister is a hair stylist, my eldest brother has a degree in art and dose the graphics for the company he works for.

If I were to pick a specific PD-related effect on my art is that PD has changed my color scheme to becoming darker, more achromatic with a less bravura use of color. My last 3 paintings, which will be difficult to photograph, are definitely darker but they are also more seductive and feel more mature. So it, like life is a mixed bag. When I finally get them photographed I will post them on my website and let you know when are posted.

Rich

[Hidden]

You can't be a great artist yet " your still alive ". Sorry that's a bit dark. Its not fair that yours is the one profession that is truly appreciated when the art stops. Do you do any shows or viewings in AZ. Maybe Scottsdale. There are times when they have exhibitions not pertaining to Cowboy Art. I would love to see your work up close, personal. It so hard to get a real look at small pictures. I really like the your 90s work, it has a real surrealistic look to it without being Dreamy. I know that's a personal taste, my favorites without looking at the originals are Mirror Image, love Shattered, (the Unmasking and Hellen I am so sorry those were destroyed) .The Unmasking I can see a lot of pain. Again thank you for sharing . Again please let me know if you have a show in AZ.

[silvestrov in reply to Hidden]

The problem with showing at galleries as far as Scottsdale are shipping costs (unless you have guaranteed art sales to defray the cost). Shipping from my place to SC Arizona would cost, in one way terms, about 2,500 dollars. Renting a truck is not that expensive at 25 dollars/day but most places charge 1 dollar a mile and Scottsdale is 2,066 miles away. I think you are capable of doing he math and when you ad up the gasoline used to keep the truck going, insurance fees....2,500 dollars on a one way trip is realistic.

Helen, a former friend, was recycled into this painting (she is lurking underneath - lol):

richardmelvin.com/galleries...

The Unmasking was a wooden painting and, at the time, it was not kept in a climate controlled storage unit, and it had humidity, moisture damage and was not salvageable. Now I pay for one and it is a nice monthly chunk of change I have to work for (along with all the website fees, etc).

As for not being dead yet, and hence being an underappreciated artist, eventually, people will be 'killing' to purchase my work (after I am dead). Unless I get to know someone who is a mover and shaker in the art world (a patron) who can influence my success as an artist, I will not 'make it'. Most collectors have to be 'told' something is good and then they will collect it - rather than trusting their own eyes. That is just the way things are in the art world. Also, because many art collectors are novices their choices are made by interior designers and unless the work is totally 'feng shui' - it harmonizes with the collector's designated interior, it will not be purchased. All it takes is one asymmetrical (a non-parallel vertical or horizontal) line to eliminate a painting from purchase - I know, I have been there.

Welcome to the art world.

[Hidden]

I will have to do some research around here. I know that the M.A.P.C. does shows for artist with P.D. I am not real sure because it was something I heard in passing. They have also bought art. They have a hall filled with pictures of the Champ but I see that they are incorporating art into the mix. Their interest is more on the Dopamine and how its viewed and displayed through art work.

[Hidden]

I know it is hard for the artist but when I see Hellen I see (distance) if you can understand ?

[silvestrov in reply to Hidden]

Who is Hellen? If the reference is to popular culture I really don't follow it and watch little TV.